How to Manage a Good Life With COPD

By Barbara Moore

2 min read

Once diagnosed, after the denial, we accept our COPD and can learn how to live the good life despite having COPD. Some people name their COPD, and some won’t acknowledge it.

There are millions of people who have COPD and don't know what it is.

Find gratitude

The task at hand is realizing that your life will be turned upside down. Then fear creeps in when you are not able to catch your breath.

It will haunt you and cause much stress and anxiety. Some begin to feel depression setting in.

This could be your hardest fight. Finding gratitude helped me. I keep a daily gratitude journal to remind myself that life is far from over. There is no shame in reaching out for help.

Stop smoking

Remove nicotine from your life. Give it up by reminding yourself that your body does not need it and that every cigarette you smoke makes a tobacco company CEO rich.

Find a smoking cessation program. Be active in the program.

Exercise

Use the energy you have to exercise. Start small with sitting exercises and increase your repetitions slowly and steadily.

Using cans of soup or light weights is always a great way to build upper body muscles. Types of exercise include cardio, upper body, and breathing.

Ask your doctor for instructions on attending respiratory rehab. You can attend classes online from the comfort of your home.

Eat clean

A diet that is low in carbs and rich in vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and fiber works well. Following the food guide helps by suggesting foods that are readily available to you.

Make a note of any foods that make you bloated or breathless so you can avoid them in the future. Follow your doctor's orders or ask to see a specialist like a nutritionist or a dietician for support. Often a local lung health foundation will offer free resources.

Be mindful when taking medications

It is important that you pay attention when taking your medications. Ask your doctor if his staff can help you with any techniques or instructions for the meds prescribed.

Confirm any further questions with the pharmacist. This ensures you are comfortable with the delivery of each puffer.

Do not stop asking questions until you are satisfied with the answers. Be familiar with medication dosages.

Using oxygen

Oxygen is a drug, much like other medications that you take. It is important to confirm your numbers with your doctor.

I write mine down as soon as the doctor instructions. Using an oximeter, I monitor your 02 stats regularly. Too high or too low has its dangers, so I monitor mine often.

Avoid Infections

When you will be meeting people inside, be proactive and advocate for yourself. You have a vested interest in not being exposed to any of the recent viruses.

Anyone with a cold or flu should disclose it and let you decide if you are willing to risk it.

Learn techniques to:

Expel mucus
Catch your breath
Advocate for yourself
Learn to ask for help
Indulge in Self-care
Be active in a support group

What is on your list of managing a good life with COPD?

Editor’s Note: We are extremely saddened to say that on January 7th, 2024, Barbara Moore passed away. Barbara’s advocacy efforts and writing continue to reach many. She will be deeply missed.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The COPD.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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kloker Member
Barbara - Interesting stuff, and timely for me. Okay, so I'll bite on this one. I was sick all last week. No idea what it was, but I was weak, shaky, had a low-grade fever, no energy at all, couldn't really eat, also couldn't really do anything else. My get up and go had done got up and went. I had visits from two nurses, neither of which could guess the issue, except to say they each had several other patients with it. Anyway, after a week, it passed, and I feel much better. But I will have weekly nurse visits for the next month or so just in case. Oh, and also, I had to rebuild my toilet completely this week, and now I'm cleaning up wet carpet. Such fun I ain't never had!!! So, I started a new program with my Home Healthcare providers. I had my first session last week with a Speech Pathologist who specializes in, of all things, swallowing! How odd is that? Anyway, starting today, we will have two sessions per week for the next several weeks. She is doing a study on a bunch of different issues I have aside from the main ones, such as memory issues, caused by things like insufficient sleep, constant stress and worry, constant nausea and dizziness, severe malnutrition from being unable to eat, and on and on. Today she did memory testing and I missed some, but not too many. I was able to draw the clock and time correctly (some folks can't), and some exercises in words and numbers. I did dismally there, as I am severely dyslexic. I still got a lollipop at the end! Just kidding. But I told her she better bring some next time. Kidding again. Anyway, she is setting up a truck to come to my house with a team and equipped to do "swallow testing" with x-rays and barium flavored food. Yum!!! She is also going to see if a Social Worker can get me on a free program for Ensure nutrition supplements. Our next session it tomorrow. I'm learning a lot from all this about stuff I never thought of before. Then, on Friday, my eldest son Larry, Jr., and his wife Paula, are coming to visit again (they came last Friday and brought BBQ!) and he is bringing his grill and will grill his Famous World's Best Secret Recipe Burgers! It's awesome!!! I have forced myself, after an adjustment to my NIV machine, to start using it all night every night (as long as I am not puking) and am already feeling better from it, breathing-wise. On Tuesday next week I will go to the Urologist for a first visit, and I'm looking forward to progress there. I am losing weight, and not in a healthy way. Okay, that is my report for the week. Who's next?
CommunityMember4250bc Member
 I just got diagnosed with moderate enymzema. I stopped vaping. I'm 58, getting out of breath easier but c02 good. My lung are bad
1. SamanthaSarube Community Admin
 <inline-mention username="CommunityMember4250bc" user-id="6793862"/> stopping smoking or vaping is a hard thing, congratulations for doing so! Being newly diagnosed can be overwhelming but we are here to help! Our community has been where you are so you are not alone, don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or if you need help looking for any information! All the best, Sam S. (<a href='https://copd.net' target='_blank'>COPD.net</a>, team member).
CommunityMember4250bc Member
Tammy
Barbara Moore Moderator
That is a great report and we appreciate you sharing with us. It sounds like an all around tune-up and you are going to be the winner. Congratulations, too many of us never reach out for this kind of help. Barbara Moore (author)
1. kloker Member
 <inline-mention username="Barbara Moore" user-id="2412663"/> That other post of mine was really about a compact recent event, and not about my general efforts, so now I will go down that road. I learned early on with my COPD that I would need to work hard to advocate for myself, and to keep close track of every aspect of my health care. First, I have horrible short term memory, so I keep logs of everything. I keep a daily med log. I take my meds morning and night, so I have a logbook, organized as a chart on a legal pad. Each page contains 7 days, and has (vertically) 5 lines per day, and horizontally 2 sections for AM and 2 for PM lists. I record my BP, 02 Sats, and Temp, then check off each med I take. I take so many the page is crowded and full, but if I don't do this, I will screw up the process. I use sticky notes for all the other stuff, but I need to use a calendar chart, for doctor and other healthcare visits, shot records, and other tests and procedures, such as blood draws and whatnot. It gets complicated, and I cannot rely on my memory. So I'm working on that. Lastly, I need to take notes for things to ask the doctor or RT or PT or Pathologist or Nurse, etc., and things I was told, events, results, etc., as well as hospital visits. Not to mention scheduling for all the visits, most of which come to my house. There seems to be no end or limit to it all. Lastly, I need to keep a close eye and ear on what the doctors and others are doing and saying, and advocate for myself. Health care is not like the old days. Nowadays it is mostly impersonal and not very caring. Sometimes worse, way worse. I have learned when to say no, when to make demands, and when to fire someone who is not putting my care first or doing the best job possible. I won't tolerate poor results, and I won't put up with poor behavior, so I have fired a couple, and got into the faces of a few others to make sure they have their priorities straight. I am the patient. They work for me. I pay the bill. I have the final say. Etc. Some of them have bad attitudes that need to be adjusted, or misconceptions about who is in charge or what they need to provide. The good ones are easy. The others, not so much. So, it's a full-time job, and I have to stay on top of it. Anyway, that's how I do it. I am constantly working to improve my part, and to make them improve theirs, so that I am doing all I can to improve. Hey, if I don't do it, who will?
Powerhouse1 Member
Very timely article! I agree that an "attitude of gratitude" is one of the most important factors in dealing with this disease. This is not a death sentence and can be managed with care from within and without. One of the hardest things I had to do is ask for help. Now, my special people ask me for an opportunity to make my life easier. Simply asking to carry my O2 bottle is a gift some days. Exercise is one thing I think I could definitely improve upon. Some days I just can't put the body in motion. But the desire is there! I do limit my appearances to many family get togethers because they are far away and it's a lot of work to get driven there, having enough O2 tanks ready, etc. People understand now better than before because they have seen me when I'm down. It's a different day, every day, just try to do the best you can!
Barbara Moore Moderator
Your positive and accepting attitude will keep you safe and sound every day. Thank you for dropping in. Barbara Moore (author)